The Wild Wild West Revisited

Doctor Loveless is dead (alas) but his son (Paul Williams) has apparently kidnapped a lot of world leaders and replaced them with doubles. We've seen it all before.

Too bad it's another Loveless. Michael Dunn was irreplaceable. They ought to have brought back another villain or made up a new one.

Whoever was responsible didn't take the material seriously. I hate that. It's the failing of so many reunions or reboots: they either ignore the sparks that made the originals work ("The Avengers," "The Wild Wild West"--Smith and Klein) or they refuse to take the material with a straight face. But when West and Gordon reunite there's magic in the air.

And for a supposed old coot, Robert Conrad still looks in pretty good shape and takes his shirt off (if you'll forgive the cliche) at the drop of a hat.

I have read comments which say that this TV movie is more a comedy than a serious adventure yarn. Of course it is. The original series, shot ten-fifteen years ago, could afford to be serious, because the overall genesis of the series was action packed sequences, with many stunts and not only from stunt men, but also the lead Robert Conrad, who was ten- fifteen years younger and also in a far far better shape, leaner and could show many more skills than in this TV movie. So, yes, I understand that the producers decided to compensate the lack of action sequences by more humor and comedy. Don't expect any fist fights from Jim West, or only a little. Forget what you saw in the past. But if you are a die hard fan of the show, don't hesitate to see it. It will be painful from time to time but rewarding.

Where is Johnathan Winters in the cast listing? He threatens to steal the show and is wonderful villain paradigm. More fun than later big budget version. A presage of Brisco County Junior. Era of poking fun at the cultural narrative of westerns and 007. Loved the steam punk one armed bandits. Pace slows but the surreality of the sets and nuclear bombs going off at regular intervals maintains a threat of urgency against the clever spoofs and twisted familiarity of steam punk renditions of the modern world. Joyce Brothers cameo is precious. Steam Punk takes off with Brisco, but its roots stretch back into wild Wild West.

The Wild Wild West lived at 7:30 (6:30 Central) on CBS / Friday nights. As I recall - for 5 years. A most enjoyable show especially for an 11 year old up through its cancellation. I must have seen all the episodes.

Now I remember in 1979 being at my parents home and watched it with my mom. We tuned it in because we liked the original. Nothing though can match laughing out loud with a parent after you are an adult.

This was done as a spoof of themselves. "Have you been sick?" No Artie why? He only went 6 feet when you hit him. West goes to pick up a girl at the saloon only to find out that she knows him because he use to date her mother.

Slam on the old age stuff - I liked it - it was what it was suppose to be. Just saw it again on DECADES TV. What a treat.

The classic espionage TV series The Wild Wild West, which ran from 1965 to 1969 on CBS, was followed by two TV movie sequels: The Wild Wild West Revisited (1979) and More Wild Wild West (1980). The original series episodes ranged from thrilling espionage episodes to more comedic and campy ones, but the follow-up TV movies continued only in the campy and comedic vein. That was considered a let down by some fans of the series who were hoping for something closer to the more serious episodes of the show. I can understand their viewpoint, but I found both movies entertaining for what they were: a fun bit of escapism featuring the reunion of two favorite characters and the actors who played them. The chemistry between these guys can't be beat. Both movies have their weak points, but Conrad and Martin, reunited as an older West and Gordon, make for fun viewing.